Tire-building apparatus



Pl'lll, 1944- .c. w. LEGUILLoN 2,346,439-

TIRE BUILDING APPmmTus Filed July 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mi n@ I l rm I l L mw ,w\ Q (Inu I I I I I I I I I I I l l I I I I l l l I .funx uw h \w\ .n ,f Y ww Sw \m\ @mi @Y Patented Apr. 1l, i944 Zddlid TRE-BUHJDING APARATUS Gharles W. Leguillon, Akron, Ohio, assigner to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 12, 1941, Serial No. 462,119

7 Claims. (01.1545-10) This invention relates to tire-building apparatus `and is especially useful where slabs of material comprising a tread are to be applied progressively to other material assembled on a rotatable form.

In the manufacture of pneumatic tire casings it has been the practice to assemble strips of material by wrapping them in succession about a collapsible and rotatable drum. These materials are either of rubber-like adhesive plastic material or, as in the case of fabrics or cords, have been coated with adhesive plastic materials. Due to the great exibility and adhesive nature of the materials, it Vhas been difcult to place the materials accurately and to eliminate entrapped air from between the strips. The adhesive nature of the materials makes it impossible to shift the strips after they have once contacted each other and seals in anyentrapped air. It is desirable for these reasons to feed the strips accurately to their proper positions and to eliminate entrapped air by rolling pressure applied to the strips atthe position of application.

Attempts made heretofore to mount stocktransfer trays or racks upon arms for swinging movement laterally of the drum about vertical axes, for a quick approach and retreat thereof from the tire-building drum, have not been fully satisfactory owing chiefly to the `difliculty of obtaining true alignment of the rack with the drum. i

Deviations from the true alignment, even though slight, have greatly hampered the proper application of the stock to the drum, and in this laterally swinging structure, it has been difficult or impossible to avoid some angular or dimensional deviation from the true alignment of the rack at .the drum, especially under. conditions where the building up of material on the drum varies the desired terminal position of the rack.

It is also necessary to perform manual operations upon the materiai on the drum, and it is therefore desirable to provide space about the drum for the operator to work without interference of obstructions. vThen strips of rubber,

such as tread slabs, are prepared by eXtruding or` calendering unvulcanized rubber-like material, and are cut to length preparatory to applying them to the tire building drum, these strips shrink somewhat in length with an accompanying thickening of the ends of the slabs. In order to apply such slabs evenly about the drum, it is necessary to stretch the ends of the slab more than the portions between the ends to more evenly distribute the material.

The principal objects of the invention are to `provided for by the swinging movement.

. of application.

provide for overcomingthe foregoing and other difficulties. to `provide means for accurately and uniformly applying a slab of rubber-like material to the material on `a rotatable drum, to provide an even distributionof theslab material, to provide for quick advance and retraction of the slab `feeding means toward and away from the .building drum, to provide for maintaining alignment ,of the feeding means with the drum, and to provide for accurately'adjusting and controlling the advance of the slab. i

These and other objects will appear from the `following description and the accompanying drawings i y y Of the drawings:

y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tire-building drum and a slab feeding apparatus embodying the in- 4line 2-2 of Fig. 1, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l, parts being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View, taken on line A5---55 of Fig. 1, parts being broken away.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional-view, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. l, parts being broken away.

In accordance with the invention, a movable transfer table is mounted upon swinging arms, preferably.V in parallel motion, about horizontal axes so thattrue alignment with the building drum is assured at all times while quick advancing of the table and quick retraction thereof are There is provision for power operation of the table from a position remote from the building drum to a position closely adjacent thereto in accurately aligned manner, and means are supported by the transfer table for rolling the slab progressively in place under varying compression at the position Means are also provided for cushioning the movements of `the table, for adjusting the mechanism for use on dierent sized drums, and for evenly distributing the slab material about the drum.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral Il! designates the frame of a tire-building machine havging a spindle ll which rotatably supports a collapsible building drum I2. Cord fabric or other materials I3 have been assembled about the drum, and a slab lliV of unvulcanized rubber-like material is shown in 'position to be applied thereto.

For supporting and feeding the slab, a bed plate I5 is mounted on the floor spaced away from the frame I0. A transfer table I6 is supported from the bed plate by swing frames I'I, I8 pivotally mounted on horizontal axes on the bed plate and to the table, making possible a swinging movement of the table to and fro while the table is kept intrugaIignment with-.the drum. at Iall times. The swing-iframes are preferably of.- equal length and parallel to each other so as to provide true parallel motion, but if desired one may be longer than the other to cause the slab to be fed down an incline to the drum or up an incline as desired. One of the frames, asforexample the which is adjustable along the other, and secured together by bolts 22, 22. Thisprovides for adjusting the table to change'the "inclination of feed. The table I6 is provided with rotatable antifriction rollers- 23- across itsfface i to support'v the 'slab with the-least Iamount *of resistance Vtoendwise movement. `-Parallel yguide bars 24,425-1are adjustably -mounted on the -table toconfineu the slab 'i4 and-'are lsecured by--b'oltsf2i'ewhichJ en- `gage slots`2'I inthe table.

*For advancing-and retracting the table a'rpair yof* brackets 28; 29 -are-mountedon thebedVl plate "I5 andhave bearings formed atrtheinupperfex'- trernities-in which a cradle-38 is-r`otatably supported for rocking movement ona horizontal axis. A'd'ouble `acting fluid`-pressure=operated `cylinder 3 IA --is xed" to thel cradle, and-itsV piston-"rod "32 has its outer end pivotally secured to a'cross'ibar 33 of swing frame I'I. Air connectionsi34gr3tirare provided-at lopposite-ends ofthe .cylinder and are connectedto` any-suitablesupplytthrough a, controlvalve (notsh'own) V*by vflexible tubingjpermitting movement of "the table.

For checking thel movements; ofthe tablefrods 36 are adaptedto isli'deithrough' openings'inthe cradle'30and"arepivotal1y secured to rod"33. Stops31,-38 are xed to .the rods; and coil springs 39, 4I)v encircle the rodsi adjacent4 the .stops and are adapted to be compressedbycontact witlrthe "1 cradle 30 at'tthe ends ofthe "stroke of'the piston rod 32. "The spee'dofthe'table movementis'controlled byraTlui'd check'comprisin'gta Lcylinder *4I iixed'tothe'cradlei and havingajpiston rod 42 connectedl vat/oneend .to a. pistoni43ltting1he cylinder :and attheA other end connected '.,to' rod -`33. VA'lila'ch end. of thec'ylinder is connectedlto a reservoir 44 'by pipes '135,546' respectively. `P ipe "d5 `has' a checkjva'lve" 'lebypassediby a.pipe"`48 Yacheck valve 5!! vbypassed 'by'iapipeti I` having "a needle valve 52. Upon' outward .movement 'of piston 43A caused bya'dvanceiof'the tablebycylinder 3 I,"'liquid,` such .as ,oilfforward of the piston is prevented" from flowing tothe reservoirMl'by the check valve "41.andmustflow'by way offneefdle valve 149 .whereas "liquid may liiow .unrestricted "from Lthe.. reservoir "44. through check .valve,50...to the, rear Aend ,of the.. cylinder. Adjustment Yof needle valve 43. thereforecontrols the .speed of advance movement. .Upon ...return of .the y-table, liquid from the rear of the.cylinder.4l, jis-.restricted by.. check -valve Y..38 and 1 needleyalve- 52 from. flow .toward ,the reservoir, andflowi of., liquid .needle valve r.52 .controls speed s ofi :thef-return movement-.andforwardfand-.return movementfof Athetablemay. beset.atdiierentspeeds. Airffrom .rotate shaft-'65.

any convenient source is supplied by a valve (not shown) to control the table movements.

For rolling the slab onto the drum a pair of arms 68, 6I are fixed to a horizontal shaft 62 journaled in the table I6. These arms are inclined to the table and extend forwardly and upwardly therefrom. A lever arm 63 is also fixed toshaft 62 .and extends downwardly and rearwardly. Agsecond horizontal shaft 65 is journaled in bearings 61, 38 xed to the table. One

@end of the shaft 65 has a worm gear 66 fixed thereto. A worm 59 on a shaft 'Iii also journaled inA bearing `V68 meshes with the worm gear and may be, turned by ahand wheel I I on the shaft to An eccentric bushing 'I2 is fixed ...toshaft 65, and a fluid pressure operated cylinder 'i3 is pivotally mounted on the bushing. This cyl- `inder is-'of the double-acting type and its piston 'I4,is.,connected by a piston rod l5 to arm 63 by a pivotal connection 16.

The arrangementissuch that byadjustment of hand wheel. "I I,-- the fulcrumf point ofI cylinder "I3 l may .-be shifted andthe -moment arm of :the force exerted bythe piston on thelever-f63 `about its fulcrum 62 may be changed.

.Arms; 6I have bearings formed in their outer lfendsxin-:which a shaft 80 is journaled. 'Theasha'ft has-reduced journalsl, 82-eccentric tothebody :of .the shaft. A quill shaft `83 is vrotatably mounted on the body of the shaftbetween 'al collar fildsaandl agear 85'fixed to the shaft. 1A tread 'ro1leri86 is'keyed: to quill 83. fAnfarm y8'1-has a :bearingat one, end thereof which rotatably embraceslfthe bodyxofshaft 8S. Its-opposite. end is 'sforrned` with a bearing parallelithereto l inazwhich The;.arrangement is -such that when roller '8S-l is 1 from the reservointo ithefront endT `of- .the cylinder `I I..is unrestricted by .check-.valvefl.. so; .that

ifulcrumof the rlever having as lever arms, .arms

.6.0, GI," and so that the force applied from .piston l'HI to roller 86 is increased ordecreasedl by adjustment of the 1ever`arm:63 and the roller 86 --isi moved toward'and away from the building drum.

To prevent arm 8l from rotation but to pernmit/movement thereof radial of shaft journals ;58I,'82 Vunder influence of the eccentric movement -of the shaft 8i) on which it has a bearing, a slot -Iil is provided in arm 6i) and the end IIlI of shaft 88 is extended so as to be confined inthe slot. kAn arm |03 xed to shaft 80 acts as an indicator to :Show thepositicn of the shaft with respect to its :eccentric journals. The ratio of the gearing is such thatduring one rotation of the drum I2 the Vrollerii 'isforced toward the drum once in` a .direction crossing the direction of -movementof Athe table IS by'the eccentric shaft andf this provdesadditionaly pressure to that ordinarily af- I forded by the cylinder 13.

Adjustment is provided for drums of different qdiameters by adjusting the fulcrum of the` swing frame I'I. For this purpose bearings 20|,282 are .formed on the bed plate I5 and bushings 283,1204 fixed to a shaft H35 extending therebetweenare rotatably mounted in such bearings. 'These bearings have removable caps 28| 1, .2821. 'Pintles 106,

|01 are mounted eccentrically on the ends of the bushings 203, 204 respectively and provide fulcrurns for the swing-frame |1.V A disc |08 is fixed to shaft and has Spanner sockets |09 in its periphery whereby it may be rotated and with it the shaft |05 and bushings 203, 204. After ad justing the shaft, the caps |1, 2021l of the bearings, may be tightened to hold the adjustment. Despite adjustment for drums of different diameters, true alignment is maintained by the provision of the swinging arms on horizontal axes, as hereinbefore described.

For guiding the tread slab accurately as it approaches the drum, conical faced guide rollers |20, |2|, |22, and |23 are rotatably mounted on yokes |24, so a-s to engage with their faces shoulders of the slab, as seen in Fig. 5. The yokes |24, |25 are slidably adjustable along a rod |26 provided with keyway |21 to prevent their rotation thereabout. The ends of the rods are threaded, and stop nuts |28, |29 are provided for engaging the threads and adjusting the guide rollers laterally of the slab. A compression coil spring encircles the rod between the yokes to keep them against the stop nuts. Rod |26 is secured at its ends to threaded bushings |3|, |32 engaged by vertically disposed feed screws |33, |34. These screws are rotatably mounted in brackets |35, |36, iixed to the table. Sprocket Wheels |31, |38 are fixed to screws |33, |34 respectively, and a chain |39 engages the sprockets so that they turn in unison. A crank |40 is provided for turning the screw |34 to raise or lower the yokes and guide wheel-s.

The roller 86 which contacts with the slab for driving the shaft 80 therefrom is contoured to the cross sectional shape of the slab, and to provide traction its face is preferably coarsely knurled. Additional rollers |50, |5| may be provided anking the roller 85. These rollers may be mounted cn anti-friction bearings |52, |53 supported by the quill shaft 83. Their slab contacting faces are preferably of soft cushion rubber vulcanized to metal hubs.

In the operation of the machine, a slab I4 is laid on the table I6 with the table in the dot-anddash position of Fig. l. When the slab is to be applied, air is admitted to pipe of cylinder 3| propelling the table toward the drum. The table stops with its leading end near the drum face and the leading end of the slab tangential to the drum face and in contact therewith. Air is now admitted to the forward end of cylinder 13 forcing roller 86 against the slab which it presses against the drum. The drum is then set in motion and the slab is drawn off the table and around the drum. Before starting the slab onto the drum the operator sets the indicator |03 to a predetermined position and during the rotation of the drum, the roller 86 presses with greater pressure against the drum at the region of the splice than at other regions. Should the tread be improperly applied, as when the slab is too short, the drum may be reversed and the tread will be fed back onto the table. By adjusting the table to a position inclined to the horizontal with its delivery end lowermost, stretching of the tread may be avoided whereas by raising the delivery end some stretching of the tread due to its weight may be accomplished.

By adjusting the Worm shaft 10 and consequently the eccentric bushing 12 the fulcrum of cylinder 13 and therefore the resulting pressure of the roller 06 against the tread slab on the drum may be adjusted.

buildingdrum said apparatus comprising a transfer table for supporting a slab in alignment with the drum, power-operated meansfor moving the table toward and away from the drum to present the slab to the face of the drum, and roller means carried by the table for applying the slab progressively to the drum, said last-named means comprisingl a pressing roller, means for applying a constant pressure thereto toward the face of the drum throughout a major portion of the arc of rotation of the drum, and means for increasing the pressure over a determinate arc of rotation of the drum.

`2. Apparatus for applying a slab of rubber-like material about the surface of a rotatable building drum, said apparatus comprising a transfer table for supporting a slab in alignment with the drum, power-operated means for moving the table toward and away from the drum to present the slab to the face of the drum, and roller means carried by the table for applying the slab progressively to the drum, said last-named means comprising a pressing roller, means for applying a constant pressure to said roller to press the slab progressively against the face of the drum throughout a major portion of the arc of rotation of the drum, and means for increasing the pressure as the ends of the slab pass under the roller.

3. Apparatus for applying a slab of rubber-like material about the surface of a rotatable building drum, said apparatus comprising a transfer table for supporting a slab in alignment with the drum, power-operated means for moving the table toward and away from the drum to present the slab to the face of the drum, means for regulating the speed of the table movements, and roller means carried by the table for applying the slab progressively to the drum, said roller means comprising a roller arranged for bodily movement toward and away from the drum in a direction crossing the direction of the table movement and means for so moving said roller.

4. Apparatus for applying a slab of rubber-like material about the surface of a rotatable building drum, said apparatus comprising a transfer table for supporting a slab in alignment with the drum, power-operated means for moving the table bodily endwise toward the drum to present the end of the slab thereto and for retracting the table bodily to clear the drum, means for adjusting the inclination of the table to present the slab at different inclinational positions, and roller means carried by the table for applying the slab progressively to the drum.

5. Apparatus for applying a slab of rubber-like material about the surface of a rotatable building drum, said apparatus comprising a transfer table for supporting a slab in alignment with the drum, power-operated-means for moving the table toward and away from the drum to present the end of the slab over the face of the drum with the slab substantially tangential thereto, means on said table for applying the slab progressively to the drum, said means comprising a pressing roller adapted to be rotated by contact with a portion of the slab on said drum, and means on said table for pressing the roller against said drum with progressive change of pressure, said means comprising a lever arm supporting said f6. Apparatusforapplying a slab of-rubber-like material; about the surface of a rotatable building drum; saidlapparatus comprising a transfer table for supporting a :slab in alignment with thedrum,

ypower-operated means for moving the table to- ,warcl and away from the drumtopresentI the end ofthe slab overthe face1of the drum With the `slab substantiallytangential thereto, means on said table for applyingthe slab progressively to the drum, said means comprising a pressing roller adapted to be `rotated byfcontact with a portion of the slab on said drum, and means on said table for pressing theroller against said drurnwith progressive change of pressure, said means comprisingfa `lever arm-Supporting said roller, a fluid- 20 pressure -ylinV- der for urging saidroller .f against saidfdrum byepressurezapplied through said lever farrnmand means for: progressively changing the leffeotiye Alength-o:said lever Aarm during-:rotation ofrsaid5l drum.

7. Apparatus for'applying aslab of rubber-like Imateriall about the surface of a rotatable building lcrunn;said; apparatus comprising a .transfer table forY supportingy a slab in alignment with the drum, ,power-operated means for moving the vtableend- Wise tow-ard andavvay4 lffromthe drumto present the end of the slab to the `face of the drum,4 and roller mearisCarriedby the table for applying the;s1ab progressively to the drum, saidhroller means comprising -a roller mounted for movement ,towardand away fromv said drum in a direction crossingy the direotiongof the table movementA and means for, so 'moving said roller.

. ,CHARLES LEGUILLON. 

